Jazz Festival Programmes

The Ken Page Memorial Trust is proud to grant support for projects and performances which exemplify one or more of the KPMT’s aims which are:

To encourage emerging jazz talent and foster an understanding of the origins and evolution of the music through such activities as workshops and master classes given by professionals in their fields.

To provide limited financial aid to jazz musicians on an emergency basis as a result of illness, accident, or loss of employment.

To support selected live and recorded jazz performances in Canada.

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2015 Season

The KPMT Grants Programme continued to support outstanding Ontario Jazz Festivals

With the arrival of those lazy-hazy-crazy days of summer, we proudly renewed our long-term partnership with the TD Toronto Jazz Festival directing our support to a trio of education and outreach programmes. The goal of these presentations is to stimulate more interaction between the musicians and the general public .... and admission is always free of charge.

First off the annual “Big Band Slam” workshop was once again held at the ever-popular Rex Jazz & Blues Bar where four high school jazz ensembles gathered for an afternoon of trumpet blasting, trombone sliding and sax squealing excitement. The groups representing Oakville’s High Rendition Jazz Band, U of T Hart House Jazz Ensemble, Alexander Gonzaga Jazz Ensemble and Marshall McLuhan High School Band performed to a packed house Mark Miller receives the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from Trustee David StimpsonPhoto by Bruce BartonBrenden Varty 2015 recipient of the Ken Page Memorial Trust Scholarship Award in Memory of Ron Collier with Gord Sheardunder the direction of guest artist, saxophonist Kelly Jefferson, who had rehearsed and performed with each school band prior to the Slam.

Repeating the success of previous years, “Youth Jazz Showcase” assembled three groups of emerg-ing jazz artists from around the country and around the world for two days of music, mentorship and fun: National Youth Jazz Combo (Canada), a student ensemble from Berklee College of Music (USA) and North Pandemic Groove Quartet, the winning ensemble from Sapporo City Jazz Competi-tion (Japan). Their ἀrst day, hosted by Youth Jazz Canada, included rehearsals, jam sessions and shared musical experiences at Humber College and culminated on day two with a lunch-time public concert on mainstage at Nathan Phillips Square.

A special bonus was the addition of visiting tenor saxophonist, George Garzone, who led and performed with the student ensemble from Berklee.

The celebration of Youth Jazz Day on Nathan Phillips Square then continued into the afternoon with perfor-mances from three more outstanding student groups: Victor Vankulj Quartet (U of T), JAZZ.FM91 Youth Big Band led by Jules Estrin and the York University Big Band led by Mike Cado, featuring Kevin Turcotte on trumpet. The heavens opened up that day but the audience hung in and were grateful to be under canvas enjoying 4 hours of youth programming.

The Trust was delighted to again support the All-Canadian Jazz Festival in Port Hope in mid-September with a grant for The Robi Botos Quartet. Robi’s concert was performed at lunchtime and was another huge success for this Festival despite the worst weather in memory.